Some strong teachers, but, as the name states, achievement comes first (and too often above student needs.)
Pros
AF pays for a graduate program for first year teachers that is a huge financial support. Theoretically, all teachers should have one-on-one coaching meetings weekly. (The follow through on this was not consistent for my experience.) The AF Providence staff is pretty racially diverse and this has an important impact on our school culture.
Cons
AF gives out a lot of surveys to staff and students but rarely seems to act on feedback. There is a ton of pressure on students to constantly evaluate themselves academically. As a result, there is not a lot of joy in AF classrooms. Some teachers work against this pattern, but the pressure for good "data" from the leadership team too often harms student learning. Also, much of the curriculum design for ELA is flawed and overly technical. Students at AF struggle a lot with writing as a result. And this is not a super inclusive workplace for queer / trans folks.